urge

urge vb Urge, egg, exhort, goad, spur, prod, prick, sic mean to press or impel to action, effort, or speed.

Urge implies the exertion of influence or pressure either from something or someone external or from something within (as the conscience or the heart); specifically it suggests an inciting or stimulating to or toward a definite end (as greater speed or a prescribed course or objective)

often against the inclinations or habits of the one urged

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the crowd urged on their favorites with shouts of encouragement

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his conscience urged him to battle for the cause

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with remarkable speed the four guests . . . saddled their mules and urged them across the plain— Cather

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his new young life, so strong and imperious, was urged towards something else— D. H. Lawrence

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Egg usually presupposes a hesitant, inert, or lagging will and usually suggests an encouraging or even an abetting

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schemers and flatterers would egg him on— Thackeray

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she egged me to borrow the money— Kipling

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Exhort may suggest the arts of a preacher or orator inciting men to good or better lives or actions and usually implies a fervor or zeal characteristic of a preacher in stimulating through admonition, encouragement, or pleading

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William exhorted his friend to confess, and not to hide his sin any longer— George Eliot

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he may probably be exhorted to "do well in his examination"— Inge

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Goad basically denotes the use of a pointed rod in driving cattle and carries in its extended use a strong implication of something that irritates or inflames and drives one on in spite of inclinations or habit of yielding to other desires or motives

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many of them ... had been goaded by petty persecution into a temper fit for desperate enterprise— Macaulay

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man's inquisitive nature has goaded him on to look deeply into these matters— Morrison

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Spur basically applies to a spiked device attached to the heels of a rider and used to urge on a lagging horse; it is likely to suggest in its extended use a superior impulsion that makes up for the weakness or reluctance of one's nature or will

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love will not be spurred to what it loathes— Shak.

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he is .. . spurred on by yearnings after an unsearchable delight— Symonds

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reproaches too, whose power may spur me on ... to honorable toil— Wordsworth

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Prod implies a being driven or forced into action as if by means of a stick or goad and may suggest a thrust or a push and an impelling against one's will

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the excitement of trying ... to prod them into action— J. R. Green

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Indians grew hungry and hatred of the white man prodded them into open hostilities— Julian Dana

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Prick comes close to spur in implying an impulsion from something sharp-pointed or irritating that serves to urge or drive

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rely on their animal instinct and developed reflexes to prick them into awareness when danger threatened— Majdalany

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pricked on by knightly spur of female eyes— J. R. Lowell

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Sic basically means to urge on a dog to chase or attack someone; with persons it often implies exhorting or goading to attack or worry

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a civilized nation sicced on the Barbary whelps to tear the peaceful passerby— Spears

}

Analogous words: impel, drive, actuate, *move: stimulate, excite, quicken, *provoke

urge n *desire, lust, passion, appetite

Analogous words: *motive, spring, spur, goad, incentive: longing, yearning, pining (see LONG): craving, coveting, desiring (see DESIRE vb)